The railway administration has intensified arrangements to ensure the safe and smooth return of non-residents who had travelled home for the Chhath festival. In view of the growing rush, Gorakhpur railway station has been declared a ‘vehicle-free zone’, with the entry of vehicles inside the station premises completely prohibited.
According to officials, vehicles are only being allowed entry at the cabway of platform number one and platform number nine, where a pick-and-drop facility has been provided. At gates one to six, vehicles are being stopped at the entry points and parked only in designated stands. Passengers are walking to the holding area, ticket counters, and platforms, with porter services arranged at the gates for convenience.
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has been deployed across the station to manage the crowd and maintain order. The rush at Gorakhpur Junction has been steadily increasing as students, professionals, and traders who visited home for Diwali and Chhath begin their return journeys.
On Wednesday, heavy movement was recorded at platform number nine, where passengers boarded the Gorakhdham Express (12555) bound for Delhi. Under the supervision of Inspector-in-charge Dashrath Prasad, the RPF organised queues and ensured all passengers were seated in the general coaches.
Sources said while residents from eastern Uttar Pradesh (Purvanchal) have begun returning to their workplaces, many from Bihar are expected to travel back only after the state elections. Others have stayed back for paddy harvesting and wheat sowing, while some will leave after the wedding season, which begins at the end of November. As a result, the return movement of non-residents is likely to continue through December.
To meet passenger demand, the railway administration has introduced a record number of Puja special trains. A total of 199 special trains are being operated for 2,913 trips, including 117 originating from stations under the North Eastern Railway for 1,551 trips, and 82 passing through these stations for 1,362 trips. These services aim to accommodate the surge in post-festival travel to major cities across the country.